Related Links

An Australian academic arrested in China accused of being a spy has asked Prime Minister Scott Morrison to help him "go home as soon as possible".

Yang Jun, an outspoken writer who also goes by his pen name Yang Hengjun, has been detained in China since January without access to his lawyer or family.

Beijing announced his formal arrest last Friday on spying charges, which could bring a lengthy prison sentence.

Yang on Thursday pleaded for Morrison to "help me go home as soon as possible" and expressed his gratitude to Australian officials for their work on his case, in a statement released via a consular official.

A Chinese investigator "told me that Australia was small and wouldn't care about me", Yang said in the letter, obtained by national broadcaster ABC.

"He said Australia was dependent on China for its trade and economy, and Canberra wouldn't help me, let alone rescue me. He said Australia wouldn't help because I am not white.

"This is nonsense. He was wrong."

Ties between the two sides have markedly deteriorated in recent months and China's near-silence about Yang's fate has only further strained relations.

Morrison said on Thursday the suggestion that Yang acted as a spy for Australia was "absolutely untrue".